Speech therapist vs physical therapist

The differences between speech therapists and physical therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a physical therapist has an average salary of $73,070, which is higher than the $70,411 average annual salary of a speech therapist.

The top three skills for a speech therapist include patients, home health and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a physical therapist are patients, rehabilitation, and home health.

Speech therapist vs physical therapist overview

	Speech Therapist	Physical Therapist
Yearly salary	$70,411	$73,070
Hourly rate	$33.85	$35.13
Growth rate	21%	17%
Number of jobs	57,509	86,697
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	40	41
Years of experience	2	-

What does a speech therapist do?

Speech Therapists work with patients across multiple age groups to facilitate the treatment of speech and language disorders, such as stammers and stutters. They work with people who cannot produce speech sounds or cannot produce them clearly.

What does a physical therapist do?

Physical therapists are health care professionals who diagnose and treat patients with health conditions and limited ability to move and perform daily activities. They help in restoring physical function and mobility and teach how to properly use therapeutic exercise techniques. They also help promote overall wellness and encourage healthier and more active lifestyles. They design a recovery plan unique for every patient, provide treatment and therapy to help improve and manage their condition. They provide care to all kinds of individuals, from newborns to people at the end of their life.

Speech therapist vs physical therapist salary

Speech therapists and physical therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Speech Therapist	Physical Therapist
Average salary	$70,411	$73,070
Salary range	Between $52,000 And $93,000	Between $56,000 And $94,000
Highest paying City	Richmond, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Ohio's Hospice of Dayton	Parkway
Best paying industry	Professional	Professional

Differences between speech therapist and physical therapist education

There are a few differences between a speech therapist and a physical therapist in terms of educational background:

	Speech Therapist	Physical Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Communication Disorders Sciences	Physical Therapy
Most common college	Northwestern University	Duke University

Speech therapist vs physical therapist demographics

Here are the differences between speech therapists' and physical therapists' demographics:

	Speech Therapist	Physical Therapist
Average age	40	41
Gender ratio	Male, 9.0% Female, 91.0%	Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 4.5% White, 76.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	6%	12%

Differences between speech therapist and physical therapist duties and responsibilities

Speech therapist example responsibilities.

Conduct individual and group therapy with individuals diagnose with speech and language impairment, learning disabilities, and autism spectrum disorder.
Conduct IEP meetings and provide documentation for Medicaid billing.
Provide services to children with developmental delay and autism.
Graduate student supervisor, and supervisor for CFY's.
Work under the supervision of an ASHA's certify SLP.
Instruct children in the proper use of assistive devices such as hearing aides.

Physical therapist example responsibilities.

Conduct in-services and train colleagues in effective techniques for safely managing the CVA patient.
Achieve high level of patients satisfaction due to sound clinical management, quality of care and compassion.
Perform physical therapy evaluation and treatment of orthopedic patients and supervise PTAs.
Progress patients' functional mobility during treatment sessions by modifying task, intensity, and adaptive equipment utilize.
Motivate patients to participate in treatment sessions by educating them on the benefits of early mobility following cardiac and thoracic surgery.
Experience include IFSP and IEP writing and implementation

Speech therapist vs physical therapist skills

Common speech therapist skills

Patients, 29%
Home Health, 25%
Rehabilitation, 8%
Acute Care, 7%
Asha, 5%
Treatment Programs, 4%

Common physical therapist skills

Patients, 30%
Rehabilitation, 15%
Home Health, 13%
Quality Care, 5%
Physical Therapy, 3%
Treatment Programs, 3%

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Speech Therapist
Speech Therapist vs Physical Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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